Baseball-Brewers and Rays clash with first World Series title at stake

By Nicole Fernandes Oct 22 (Reuters) A historic first championship is on the line for the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays when they clash in the opening game of the World Series on Friday. This year marks the first World Series since 1980 that features two ​teams who have never won a title. Billed as a showdown between two of MLB s ‌smaller markets, it is quite the contrast from last year’s Fall Classic matchup between the heavy-spending Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays. The Brewers and Rays are among MLB’s smallest spenders and lowest-valued teams. Milwaukee ranked 21st at $1.9 billion on Forbes’ 2026 team valuations while Tampa Bay were three spots below them at $1.7 billion. A first-time winner is guaranteed, but each side will ‌need to ​kick into another gear if they want to etch their names ⁠into the history books. RED-HOT BREWERS Milwaukee arrive ⁠at the World Series stage for the first time since 1982 after leading the league with a franchise-record 103 wins duri